COAHOMA — Hannah Wells tossed a five-inning no-hitter and was 2 for 3 with an RBI to help Coahoma to a 10-0 win over Lamesa in Game 1 of their Region I-3A championship series on Friday at CHS. 

With Wells dominating in the circle, the Bulldoggettes steadily pounded away at Lamesa, bringing home two runs apiece in the first and second innings, one in the third, four in the fourth and the mercy rule clincher in the fifth. 

The Bulldoggettes (33-3) can clinch their second straight trip to the state tournament with a win in Game 2, slated for 1 p.m. Saturday in Lamesa. Game 3 (if necessary), will begin 30 minutes after Game 2.  Lamesa fell to 23-6 with the loss.

ABILENE — A six-run first inning, backed by solid pitching from freshman Emma Follis was enough to give the Stamford Lady Bulldogs a 6-1 win in Game 1 of their Region I-2A championship series with Forsan at Abilene Christian University on Thursday. 

Madi Woolf was 2-for-3 with a grand slam homer and Laylonna Applin was 1 for 2 with a two-run homer to lead Stamford (26-6-1), which can clinch its third straight trip to the state tournament with a win in Game 2 slated for noon on Saturday at ACU.  Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after Game 2. 

Forsan (28-9) was led by Madi Roach, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and K’Leigh Williams, who was 2-for-3 with a double.

ABILENE — A big first inning, a major scare and six innings of smooth sailing summed up Brock’s 7-1 rout of Shallowater in Game 1 of a Region I-3A semifinal on Wednesday. 

Cam Harris was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs and Ian Fuchs tossed six innings of four-hit baseball to lead Brock, which coasted after a five-run first inning at Abilene Christian University.  The Eagles did, however, have to hold their breath in the second inning after Fuchs’ foot slipped off the first base bag while trying to beat out a throw to first. 

The incident saw Fuchs fall to the ground in agony, after which his heavy limp to the Brock dugout immediately spawned activity in the Eagle bullpen.  Fuchs, however, wasn’t finished. He managed to limp to the bullpen where he threw well enough to return to the game. He worked through the sixth, held Shallowater to one run and collected the win with one inning of relief help from Harris. 

FORSAN — For months, Forsan softball coach Shanna Taylor wrestled with the idea of stepping down from a labor of love. 

An 18-year journey that included more than 300 career victories and two state championships (2009 and 2010) had reached a crossroads: Should she continue on, or call it a career and enjoy some quality time with her family? 

Eventually, she chose the latter — a decision she was comfortable with, but not without a degree of sadness as her Lady Buffaloes began what she knew would be her final season on the diamond.  A season, as fate would have it, that has been extended to this week’s Region I-2A championship series where her Lady Buffaloes (28-8) will face off with area power Stamford (25-6-1) with the winner advancing to the state tournament. 

Game 1 is slated for 5 p.m. Thursday at Abilene Christian University.  Game 2 will begin at noon on Saturday at ACU, with Game 3 (if needed) following 30 minutes after Game 2.

BIG COUNTRY PREPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Hermleigh softball coach Sammy Winters joins the show.

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ABILENE — For the second time in as many games, the Hawley Bearcats used an overwhelming offensive effort to defeat Stamford and sweep their Region I-2A quarterfinal series. 

Pounding out 13 hits at McMurry University on Saturday, the Bearcats eliminated Stamford with a 11-7 win in Game 2. Kason O’Shields was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Will Scott was 3 for 4 with a double to lead Hawley (22-8) which had opened the series with a 14-4 win on Thursday.

With the win, the Bearcats advance to their fourth regional semifinal under 12th-year coach Jamie Seago. There, they will face Ropesville Ropes at a site and time to be determined.

ABILENE — Less than 24 hours after posting a combined 29 runs and more than 30 hits, the Forsan and Bangs softball teams produced a near polar opposite of the 16-13 FHS win in Game 1. 

Friday at Abilene Christian University, the same two teams, with the same two pitchers in the same venue locked horns in a 1-0 Forsan win in Game 2 which ended the series and pushed the Lady Buffaloes into the Region I-2A championship. There, they will meet either Stamford or Colorado City at a sit and time to be determined. 

The difference, according to Forsan pitcher Maddie Roach, may not be what you would expect to hear. Coming off a rough outing in Game 1 that saw her allow 13 runs on 16 hits, Roach spent much of Game 2 smiling, laughing and even dancing a bit to tunes being played over the PA while she was on the field. 

“I think it’s because I kept a good attitude today,” said Roach, who delivered seven straight empty frames on Friday. “And there was better music on.” 

ABILENE — If Game 1 of a Region I-2A softball semifinal between Forsan and Bangs is any indication of what’s ahead, one shouldn’t take anything for granted. 

Leading 9-0 heading into the bottom of the second, Forsan blew the lead and eventually fell behind 13-10 only to rally for a 16-13 win in a thriller at Abilene Christian University. 

K’Dynce Speck was 3 for 5 with a double, homer and four RBIs and Emma Buske was 2 for 5 with a double and three runs scored to lead Forsan (27-8), which can end the series with a win in Game 2, set for 5 p.m. Friday at ACU.  Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after that. 

“That was a really good game,” said Forsan coach Shanna Taylor, who will retire after 18 years at FHS at the conclusion of this season. “Bangs is really scrappy, but our team has a lot of fight in them and a lot of grit, so I was glad to see them come back and fight for that win.” 

While the UIL state track meet provides a fun and exciting end to the high school track season every year, giving the best athletes in each part of the state an opportunity to compete against the other top athletes in their classification, we here at Big Country Preps weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to the sport.

We now present our annual All-Big Country Preps Dream Track Meet.

As with our All-Big Country Preps teams for other sports, our Dream Meet is our way of honoring some of best athletes the Big Country had to offer this past school year. But our concept for this is just a little bit different.

Instead of being presented as a team, we’re treating this like a meet with an area-wide field in each event. There are no distinctions made for classification, just a collection of the top performers from across the BCP coverage area. 

Without further ado, we present our first All-Big Country Preps Dream Meet boys field. We hope you enjoy reading through our selections.

BEST OF BCP WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Former Hermleigh coach Duane Hopper talks about taking Wylie job (originally aired 5-11-22)